Flying insect trap

ABSTRACT

A flying inspect trap includes large, multi-directional, oppositely facing ingress openings to elongated chambers housing UV lamps emitting insect attractant light. A disposable cartridge has two sections which mate together to form a container for a roll of adhesive trapping medium. The cartridge sections are opened and spread apart to fit beneath the UV lamps. A motor indexes the adhesive medium so that some unused portion is always available for trapping insects until the roll is exhausted. The spent roll is then rolled into one cartridge section externally; and the two cartridge sections are coupled together to encase the spent roll for disposal.

RELATED APPLICATION

Applicants claim the benefit of the filing dates of the followingapplications. This is a divisional application of copending U.S.nonprovisional application Ser. No. 10/392,232 filed Mar. 18, 2003 whichis a continuation application of nonprovisional U.S. application Ser.No. 09/841,200 filed Apr. 24, 2001 which is based on provisionalApplication No. 60/200,448 filed Apr. 28, 2000.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to insect traps, and more particularly totraps for flying insects which use ultraviolet (UV) light to draw theinsects into the trap where they are immobilized on adhesive-coatedboards, paper or other medium.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The use of ultraviolet light to attract insects in a localized area andthen to immobilize the insects on an adhesive medium or “glue board” isknown. Further, it is known to provide food scents and pheromones toattract flies and other insects into the interior of the trap and ontothe adhesive medium. One prior trap disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.5,651,211, is intended to be mounted on a wall and have a decorativecover so that occupants of the room cannot normally see the UV lampsdirectly. Such decorative traps have application primarily in eatingareas of restaurants or the like so that the UV lamps provide indirectlighting on an adjacent wall, but the lamps themselves are not directlyvisible at eye level. Of course, the insects cannot directly perceivethe light source unless the insect is at a sufficiently high altitude.This is believed to have a negative effect on the overall catcheffectiveness of the trap since insects are believed to be attracted tothe UV light source by sensing light emanating from the source, just asinsects are attracted to windows because they sense the incoming lightradiated from the sun. Most prior traps are not of a decorative design.The interior of these traps, many of which use electrocution techniquesfor killing the insects but some of which also use UV light to attractthe insects and glue boards to trap them, may be readily viewed byoccupants of a room in which they are used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, unlike wall-mounted decorative units for useprimarily in the eating areas of restaurants, is designed for heaviercommercial or industrial use. For example, flies are attracted to andcollect in large numbers in the production areas of commercial kitchens,bakeries, food processing plants, and storage areas in supermarkets,warehouses, hospitals, poultry and egg ranches, as well as in all foodpreparation areas where the decorative appeal of the trap is not asimportant as trapping effectiveness.

Thus, the present invention provides two separate UV lamps arrangedgenerally in the same horizontal plane and spaced slightly laterallyfrom one another. The lamps are mounted in an elongated housing whichhas upright sidewalls and a base, but which is provided with open grillsadjacent the horizontal plane in which the UV lamps are mounted so thatthe lamps can be viewed directly in a range of elevations extending fromslightly below the horizontal plane of the lamps to a region well abovethe lamps. Moreover, the shape of the housing in side profile is suchthat it curves upwardly and inwardly of the UV lamps, as one proceedsfrom the level of the UV lamps upward. This increases the access of theinsects to the UV lamps, not only by sight, but by ingress, from anangle slightly below the horizontal to approximately 80° above the UVlamps. Access is provided on both sides of the housing to increase theeffectiveness even more. In addition, curved reflective surfaces areplaced at an incline to the center of the unit and above the UV lamps toproject an image of the UV lamps outwardly and downwardly so that it canbe perceived from most regions in a room and extends the viewing angleswell below the horizontal. Thus, an insect in front of the unit sees notonly the UV lamp directly, but the image of the lamp, and this occurs onboth sides of the unit.

Furthermore, the insect trapping medium, which is commerciallyavailable, has a sticky or tacky surface impregnated with theattractants described above. The medium is stored in a cartridge untiluse. The trapped insects become encapsulated in a take-up section, whilesimultaneously a fresh adhesive surface is automatically advanced from asource spool. U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,211 teaches the use of a cartridge forhousing the trapping medium in a roll and dispensing it for usage undertimed motor power. The present invention improves such a cartridgedesign by housing a roll of trapping medium in a cartridge made of twomating sections which are preferably identical and interchangeable toreduce parts and inventory. The two housing sections couple together toform a substantially closed container encompassing the trapping mediumeither for storage when the medium has not been used, or for disposalwhen the trapping medium is filled with insects.

After shipment or storage, when it is desired to replace an existingcartridge, the new cartridge is split apart manually, without the needfor tools, and the two housing sections are separated by hand to adistance sufficient that they may fit into receptacles in the trap. Oneof the housing sections is placed in a receptacle and coupled to thedrive shaft of an electric motor which, when energized, drives a take-upspool for winding the spent trapping paper into the associated housingsection, while metering out unused trapping medium from the otherhousing section which is stored in a remote receptacle.

The intermediate section of the trapping medium between the two housingsections slides along a flat table spaced immediately below the two UVlamps. After the trapping medium is fully spent and it is desired todispose of the trapping medium and replace it with a new cartridge, thetwo housing sections of the cartridge are removed from their respectivereceptacles (the one driven by the motor is disconnected from themotor), and the two housing sections of the cartridge are then manuallyassembled together and secured, encompassing the spent medium andinsects for disposal without having to touch the spent medium orinsects. The trailing edge of the trapping medium may be manually woundinto the driven cartridge section, without touching the trapping medium.

The trapping medium, as it passes over the support table beneath the UVlamps, passes over and occludes an aperture in the table below whichthere is mounted a light sensor. When the trapping medium runs out, thetrailing edge passes over the aperture, and the sensor senses the lightfrom the UV source, indicating that the unit is out of trapping medium.The unit generates an audible alarm to signal that the cartridge must beremoved and replaced.

Another feature of the invention is that the motor which draws theadhesive-coated trapping medium out of one cartridge section and intothe other when the trapping medium is assembled in the trap, may be setin one of two different motor speeds so that the trapping mediums ismetered out either more slowly or more rapidly, as desired, anddepending upon use conditions.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparentto persons skilled in the art from the following detailed disclosure ofthe preferred embodiment accompanied by the attached drawings, whereinidentical reference numerals will refer to like parts in the variousviews.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is an upper, frontal perspective view of the inventive insecttrap with the cartridge door open and the cartridge sections split inpreparation for insertion into the trap;

FIG. 2 is an upper, frontal perspective view similar to FIG. 1 with thecartridge door closed and the front grill removed to view the interiorof the trap;

FIG. 3 is an upper, frontal perspective view of the split cartridgewhich houses the trapping medium;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but at a slightly different angle soas to show the drive shaft of the motor which winds the trapping medium;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the trap of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a right side view of the inventive trap;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the inventive trap;

FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken through the sight line8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an end view of the two cartridge sections placed in a closedposition and just before locking sections together; and

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of the portion of FIG. 9 enclosed by theline 75.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Turning first to FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 generally designates atrap for flying insects. The trap 10 comprises a housing generallydesignated 11 and a replaceable cartridge 12 for housing and supplyingtrapping medium shown in the form of an elongated web and designated 13in FIG. 1. The cartridge 12 is seen in FIG. 1 with first and secondcomplimentary and similar sections 15, 15A spread apart for insertioninto the trap 10, as will be described. In FIG. 3, the cartridgesections 15, 15A have been disconnected from each other, and if thecartridge sections are spread further apart, the exposed surface of thetrapping medium 13 will, of course, be increased. A feature of theinvention is that the same cartridge design may be used for differentsize traps having different lengths of exposed trapping medium, aspersons skilled in the art will appreciate.

Returning now to FIG. 1, the housing 11 is elongated laterally toaccommodate two fluorescent lamps, to be described. The housing 11 has aleft upright sidewall 18 and a right sidewall 19. Sidewalls 18 and 19are generally flat with inwardly turned flanges for connecting to theother housing walls and the grills. Terms such as “left,” “right,”“front,” and “rear” have reference to a viewer looking on the elongatedside (the “front”) of the housing which receives the cartridge 12 oftrapping medium. From a full description of the invention, it will beappreciated that the insect trap is equally accessible to an insect fromthe front, seen in FIG. 1, or the rear of the trap. The housing may bemade of metal or plastic.

The housing 11 also includes a bottom wall 20 which is integral with thesidewalls 18, 19. A cartridge door 22 is pivotally connected to thebottom portions of the sidewalls 18, 19, respectively, at 23 (FIG. 1)and 24 (FIG. 6). The cartridge door 22 is seen in the lowered positionin FIG. 1, permitting access to the interior of the housing 11.Specifically, the housing 11 defines a space or receptacle 25 forreceiving the left cartridge section 15A and a corresponding space orreceptacle 26 for receiving the right cartridge section 15. Thecartridge sections are installed in the direction of the arrows shown.On the right side of the cartridge door 22, there is an aperture 28, thepurpose of which will be discussed below.

The two receptacles 25, 26 are separated and partially defined by ametal box 30 which houses the electrical connections, drive motor andthe ballast and wiring for the UV lamps, to be described. In the topwall 31 of the metal box 30, there is an aperture 32. First and secondUV lamps 34, 35 are mounted in the housing 11 with conventionalfluorescent lamp sockets. Beneath the aperture 32 (which is below thelamp 35) within the box 30 is a light sensor (photo transistor) 33 (FIG.8) which is responsive to the light emanating from the UV lamp 35, togenerate an electrical signal upon detection of light from the lamp 35to actuate an audible alarm shown at 36 in FIG. 8 and housed within thebox 30. Other light sensing elements than the photo transistor 33disclosed herein, may be used to sense incident light passing throughthe aperture 32 and actuate the audible alarm which, in the illustratedembodiment is a piezo audio transducer which is commercially available.There are many other audible alarms commercially available which arecapable of being actuated in this matter and producing desirable audiblesignals to indicate to the user that the trap has an exhausted supply oftrapping medium and the cartridge needs to be replaced, and a new oneinstalled. Moreover, there are mechanisms other than the aperture andlightsensing photo transistor disclosed for generating the signal toactuate the audible alarm. For example, a ball-shaped mechanical sensorcould be placed above a detent in the top wall of the box 30 and biaseddownwardly toward the detent, but maintained in a raised position if thetrapping medium is present, and then released to fall into the detentwhen the trapping medium is exhausted, actuating a position or limitswitch which upon movement of an armature supporting the ball when itfalls from resting on the trapping medium into the detent covered by thetrapping medium. There are many other equally effective devices forassessing the presence of the trapping medium. The UV lamps 34, 35 arefluorescent UV lamps generating light in the near ultraviolet andvisible range. Such lamps (sometimes called “black light” lamps) arecommercially available and currently used in traps to attract flyinginsects.

Referring now to FIG. 8, the UV lamps 34, 35 are tubular; and their axesextend horizontally in substantially the same plane. The lamps arespaced slightly apart (approximately two inches or so) so that one lamp,for example, lamp 34, occupies one longitudinal chamber 34A of thehousing 11, and the other lamp 35 occupies the other longitudinalchamber 35A of the housing 11.

Referring now to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, the housing 11 also includes a topwall 21 which has the same width as the bottom wall 20. That is, itextends between the two sidewalls 18, 19 and is affixed to the flangesof those sidewalls. However, the top wall 21 has a depth (i.e., front torear distance) (FIGS. 7 and 8) which is less than the depth of thebottom wall 20. Thus, the upper portions of the sidewalls are curvedinwardly as they proceed upwardly (see FIGS. 2, 6 and 8). This shapeprovides insect access to the interior of the housing directly from thefront or rear (see FIGS. 5 and 7); and it also provides access fromabove, for example, in the direction of the arrows 37, 38 in FIGS. 6 and8. Top access to the interior of the housing is also seen in FIG. 7.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the arrangement of sidewalls 18, 19, frontcartridge wall 22 and top wall 21 define a large ingress opening 40 forinsects. A similar ingress opening at the rear of the unit is shown at41, FIG. 7. The forward and rearward ingress openings 40, 41 areprovided with protective wire grills, designated respectively, 43 and44, which cover the respective openings to prevent persons from placingtheir hands or fingers inside the unit. The grills permit easy ingressto flying insects, however.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 8, located above the forward chamber 34Awhich houses the forward fluorescent lamp 34, there is a slightly curvedinner wall 46 on which is mounted a highly reflective surface, such asmetallized Mylar. The surface 46 is arranged so that the image of theforward UV lamp 34 is projected, mirror-like, out into the room. Due tothe slight concave curvature of the wall 46 and the reflective materialon it, the reflected image of the lamp 34 is enlarged. The bottom edge46A of the curved wall 46 is located slightly inward of, and above itsassociated lamp 34. The wall 46 extends upwardly and outwardly to aposition about four and one-half inches above the forwardmost surface ofthe lamp 34 (which is the horizontal forward edge of the glassenvelope). A similar reflective wall 47 is provided in the rear chamberabove the rear UV lamp 35, and projecting a similar image of lamp 35 outtoward the rear of the trap. The curved, reflective walls 46, 47partially define the two chambers 34A, 35A of the housing 11.

Thus, insects within range, on either side of the trap, will see notonly the direct image of a UV lamp, but also an enlarged reflectiveimage. In addition, an insect which is slightly above the horizontalrelative to the closest UV lamp (for example, the forward UV lamp 34 inFIG. 2), can, in addition, perceive a good portion of the rear lamp 35because the lower edges of the curved inner walls 46, 47 terminateslightly above the uppermost surfaces of the glass envelopes of thefluorescent UV lamps 34, 35, as best seen in FIG.8. Moreover, theincluded angle through which a lamp may be viewed (the “viewing angle”)is increased when the image of the reflected lamp on curved reflectivesurfaces 46, 47 are considered. Referring to FIG. 8, the reviewing angleis in the vertical plane of the page. An insect may perceive lamp 34 atan angle of almost 80° above the horizontal, at which point the upperportion of the curved wall 46 interferes with light transmission. Aninsect may perceive the lamp 34 directly at an angle of about 20° belowthe horizontal. However, an insect may perceive the image of the lamp 34reflected off the curved surface 46 at a much greater angle below thehorizontal. Thus the location and curvature of the reflective surface 46increases the viewing angle. The angles given are estimates given inorder to explain the principle involved and are not to be taken aslimitations on the invention or as precise measurements. Persons skilledin the art will be able to modify the dimensional relations shown in thedrawing while continuing to practice the invention.

The center portion of the top wall 21 is provided with a cut-out in theform of an elongated opening designated 36 which serves as a handle orcarrier for the unit. In addition, the sidewalls 18, 19 are provided intheir upper central portions with smaller slots such as that designated27 in FIGS. 1 and 6 for the left sidewall 18 for receiving hooks so thatthe unit may be suspended from a ceiling or the like by means of a chainprovided with carrying hooks.

The UV lamps 34, 35 are mounted in conventional sockets mounted to thesidewalls 18, 19; and they are energized with a conventional ballastmounted within the box 30 which forms a protective housing or junctionbox.

Turning now to the cartridge 12, the cartridge sections or halves 15,15A may be substantially the same and interchangeable; therefore, onlyone section need be described in detail, and it will be understood thatthe corresponding structure on the other cartridge section will beidentified by the same reference numeral followed by an “A”.

Turning then to the cartridge section 15, it include first and secondend walls 51, 52 and an outer sidewall generally designated 53. The endwalls 51, 52 and the sidewall 53 cooperate to provide a central openinggenerally designated 55 in FIG. 4 for receiving (dispensing in the caseof section 15A) the adhesive trapping medium 13. The sidewall 53 has afirst planar section 56, a curved intermediate portion 57 (FIGS. 1 and9) and a second planar section 58 which is parallel to the first planarsection 56 having the same length but which has a shorter width, so thatwhen the two cartridge sections are placed together (FIG. 9) theadjacent edges of the larger planar sections 56, 56A of the twocartridge sections engage and close, but the adjacent edges of the twosmaller planar sections 58, 58A provide an opening 59 in FIG. 9. Thisopening permits a user to look in a cartridge to determine whether it isa new cartridge or a spent cartridge.

Returning now to the cartridge section 15, it is provided with a spoolmember 60 which may be plastic and includes an elongated tubular shaft(see shaft 61A for the left cartridge section 15A in FIGS. 3 and 4). Theshaft of the spool 60 is journaled in the end walls 51, 52 of acartridge section; and one end of the spool includes a circular flange63 which is adjacent the outer surface of end wall 51 of the cartridgesection 15 and slides against it when rotated. The adjacent portion ofthe shaft 61 is provided with a pair of opposing cantilever tabs, one ofwhich is seen at 64 in FIG. 3. The tabs 64 have a free end adjacent theflange 63, but spaced inwardly slightly greater than the thickness ofthe wall 51. The free ends of the tabs 64 are also spaced farther apartfrom each other than is the diameter of the aperture in the end wall 51in which the shaft 61 fits. The spool is maintained in place because thetabs 64 bear against the inner surface of the end wall 51, whereas thecircular flange 63 bears against the outer surface of the end wall 51.Dimensions are such that the spool 60 freely rotates relative to the endwall 51. The spool may be removed by pinching the tabs 64 together sothat they fit through the aperture in end wall 51, and then sliding thespool out.

The outer surface of the flange 63 includes a pair of opposing fingertabs 67, 68 so that the spool may be turned by hand, if desired, toadvance the adhesive trapping medium manually.

The adjacent edges of the end walls 51, 51A and 52, 52A are alsostraight, and when the two cartridge sections are assembled together toform a container for the adhesive trapping medium, they engage oneanother, as seen in FIG.9. Each cartridge section end wall 51, 51A, 52,52A is provided with a pair of locking tabs, designated 70A, 70B for theend wall 51 and 70C, 70D for the end wall 51A in FIGS. 3 and 9. Each ofthe locking tabs is L-shaped, in general, and includes a free extendedfinger such as the one designated 71 in FIG. 10 for the tab 70A. FIG. 10is an enlarged view of the portion of FIG. 9 enclosed by the line 75.The fingers are provided with slightly extended pads or moundsdesignated 76, 76A for the fingers 70A and 70C shown in FIG. 10, so thatwhen the adjacent end walls of the cartridge sections are placedtogether, spaced axially apart so that the fingers of the tabs of onesection may be aligned to engage with the fingers of corresponding tabsof the other cartridge section as seen in FIGS. 3 and 9, facing oppositedirections, the two cartridge sections may then be placed together sothat their respective end walls engage, as shown in FIG. 9. The twocartridge sections are then moved relative to each other so that theaxes of their central shafts become aligned. This locking motion isillustrated in FIG. 10 by the direction of the arrows 86. The tabs onthe fingers inter-engage, with the pads on the fingers interlocking tosecure the cartridge sections together, as seen in FIG. 10. In short,the cartridge sections are unlocked in FIG. 9 and locked in FIG. 10.

To insert a new cartridge, the cartridge sections are unlocked with acomplimentary separating motion, and the two cartridge sections are thencounter-rotated slightly and separated, as shown in FIG. 4. Thecartridge sections are aligned with the receptacles 25, 26 of the traphousing, with the trapping web 13 located above the box 30, to slidealong the horizontal top 31 of the box 30 which supports the insecttrapping web 13. It will be understood that the same cartridge may beopened to create exposed regions of the trapping medium of differentlengths, if desired, so that the same cartridge design could be used intraps of different sizes.

As the cartridges are placed in the receptacles, with the cartridge door22 lowered to the position shown in FIG. 4, the distal end of the shaftof the spool 60 engages and telescopely receives a shaft 71 of anelectric motor mounted to the fixed far wall 20A (FIG. 6) of the trap11. The motor is conventional and provided with a rachet drive so thatthe spool may be manually wound, if desired. When in proper position,the web (or conventional glue board) rests on the top wall 31 of theenclosure box 30. The heat from the ballast housed within the enclosure30 warms the adhesive medium resting on the top wall 31, making the gluemore tacky, and thus more effective in securing insects. The warmth isalso believed to increase the attractiveness of the adhesive medium toinsects.

The leading edge of the insect trapping web 13 is secured to the shaft61 of the cartridge section 15 (by tape, for example); however, thetrailing edge is not secured to the shaft 61A of the cartridge section15A. Thus, when the trapping material runs out, the trailing edge ispulled by means of the electric motor and wrapped around the spool 60.When the cartridge is spent, the trailing edge of the trapping mediumleaves the cartridge section 15A and eventually passes over the aperture32 in the top wall 31 of the box 30, thereby admitting light from thesource UV fluorescent lamp 35 to the sensor 33 housed in the box 30which generates an electrical signal to trigger the audible alarm 36.

Preferably, the upper surface of the insect trapping web 13 may beyellow and provided with pheromones, food scents to attract the insectsonce they get within the vicinity of the medium, and the upper surfaceof the web 13 is coated with an adhesive material to trap and immobilizethe insects once they alight on the insect trapping surface. It may alsobe printed with images of flies which act as decoys.

The spool 60 may be turned manually not only to advance the insecttrapping material if an unusually heavy catch has been made, but it mayalso be used to wind up the last section of the insect trapping mediumwhen the insect trapping web is spent and it is desired to change thecartridge. When the cartridge is installed in the trap, and the lowercartridge door 22 is raised to the position shown in FIG. 2, the spool60 aligns with the aperture 28, and a user may turn the spool by meansof the tabs 67, 68.

The motor which drives the shaft 71 to advance the insect trapping webmay have a plurality of speeds so that the advancing speed of the webmay be adjusted for different conditions for different applications, orfor changing conditions in the same site.

Having thus disclosed in detail the preferred embodiment of theinvention, persons skilled in the art will be able to modify certain ofthe structure which has been disclosed and substitute equivalentelements for those illustrated while continuing to practice theprinciple of the invention, and is therefore intended that all suchmodifications or substitutions be covered as they embrace within thespirit and scope of the appended claims.

1-10. (canceled)
 11. A disposable cartridge for use in a trap for flyinginsects comprising: first and second mating sections each sectionelongated along an axis, each section including first and secondendwalls and a sidewall, each sidewall defining an elongated,axially-extending opening, each section constructed to couple to theadjacent section to form a container; one of said sections provided witha spool extending axially thereof and rotatably mounted to itsassociated endwalls; and a roll of adhesive trapping medium having oneend secured to said spool whereby as said spool turns, said medium rollsonto said spool and characterized in that when said first and secondmating sections are coupled together to form a container, said containerencloses said adhesive trapping medium, and said mating sections may bespread apart to open said trapping medium for use.
 12. The apparatus ofclaim 11 characterized in that said sections of said cartridge areinterchangeable.
 13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said spoolincludes at least one tab on an end thereof located exterior of itsassociated section whereby an operator may wind the tail end of saidmedium onto said spool and couple said sections together when saidmedium is spent and removed for replacement.
 14. The apparatus of claim13 wherein said first and second cartridge sections each includeinterlocking members for coupling to the opposing cartridge section whenthe two are assembled together, thereby encasing said roll within theassembled cartridge sections.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein saidfirst and second cartridge sections, when fully assembled, define anopening permitting a user to determine whether said cartridge is new orspent.
 16. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein an end of said roll ofadhesive trapping medium is connected to a spool in one cartridgesection, the remainder of said roll of adhesive medium being containedin the adjacent cartridge section when used, whereby said cartridgesections may be separated to align respectively with associated, spacedreceptacles in a housing therefor such that when said cartridge sectionsare separated and inserted in said receptacles respectfully, a sectionof adhesive medium is exposed for use.
 17. The apparatus of claim 15wherein each of said cartridge sections includes first and second endwalls, a curved side wall joining said end walls, and first and secondflat wall portions contiguous with an associated end of said curved endwall and each of said side walls, one of said flat wall portions beingwider than the other, such that two identical cartridge sections mayform said container with the shorter side wall sections adjacent oneanother to define an elongated opening for viewing the adhesive mediumcontained therein through said elongated opening.